India and Canada have announced the appointment of new high commissioners to each other’s capitals, a move that signals a significant improvement in relations after strained ties and vacant diplomatic posts caused by former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
India has named Dinesh K. Patnaik, a 1990-batch Indian Foreign Service officer and currently Ambassador to Spain, as its new High Commissioner to Canada. A press release by the Ministry of External Affairs said, “Shri Dinesh K. Patnaik (IFS:1990), presently Ambassador to the Kingdom of Spain, has been appointed as the next High Commissioner of India to Canada.” The MEA added that he is expected to take up the assignment shortly.
The position had been lying vacant since October 2024, when India’s previous envoy Sanjay Kumar Verma and several other diplomats were withdrawn from Ottawa amid worsening tensions.
On the Canadian side, veteran diplomat Christopher Cooter has been appointed as High Commissioner to India, filling a post that had been unoccupied since March 2022, when former high commissioner Cameron MacKay’s tenure ended. Anita Anand, Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs, announced today that Christopher Cooterwillbecome High Commissioner for Canada in the Republic of India.
The vacancies reflected the deep chill in bilateral ties that began in September 2023, when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused Indian agents of involvement in the killing of Khalistani separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar. India strongly rejected the allegations, but the fallout led to tit-for-tat expulsions of diplomats, a suspension of trade talks, and eventually the withdrawal of high commissioners.
While Ottawa refrained from naming a replacement for more than two years, New Delhi pulled back its envoy and senior officials last year citing both security concerns and reciprocal measures.
A shift began to take shape earlier this summer at the G7 Summit in Canada, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney agreed that both countries would reappoint high commissioners as a first step toward normalising relations. The appointments announced today are the outcome of that understanding and are being seen as a strong gesture of intent to rebuild diplomatic engagement.
Dinesh K. Patnaik brings with him more than three decades of diplomatic experience. Apart from serving as ambassador to Spain, Morocco, and Cambodia, he has also held senior positions in the Ministry of External Affairs, including as Additional Secretary in charge of international organisations and global issues. Known for his expertise in multilateral negotiations and cultural diplomacy, Patnaik has often been regarded as one of India’s more versatile envoys.
Christopher Cooter is a seasoned Canadian diplomat with a career including postings in Europe, Africa, and multilateral institutions. He has previously served as Canada’s Ambassador to South Africa, High Commissioner to Nigeria, and Deputy Permanent Representative to NATO. Cooter is known in Ottawa’s diplomatic circles as a skilled negotiator and a steady hand in sensitive assignments, qualities expected to be crucial in managing relations with India.
The long delays – nearly ten months on the Indian side and more than two years on the Canadian side – underscored just how deep the diplomatic tension had been. But with the return of full-fledged envoys, both sides are now expected to gradually resume regular consular services, business facilitation, and political dialogue. The move could also pave the way for renewed discussions on trade, education, and security cooperation that have largely stalled in recent years.
Trump’s tariff assault also may have played a role, as countries affected by the tariff are boosting relations among themselves to contain the damages of tariff.
